The Better Thing

My house is a mess. I'm a mess. I have a baby coming in March and a million things to do before then. My list of organizational projects is long. My list of new habits to develop is longer. It would be great if I could learn a foreign language before this baby pops out, too.All of these plans are good. They honor God. He is a God of order and peace, and that's what I'm trying to accomplish. But I'm tackling the problem from the wrong side.As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”Luke 10:38-42I always feel bad for Martha here because she just looks so, well, unspiritual. We always pick on her in sermons and lessons. But she, like Mary, wanted to honor the Lord. She just chose the wrong plan of attack.We can never really do good things for God unless we seek His face first. And while I believe strongly that being orderly and disciplined honors the Lord, being able to organize our time around the stuff of this earth is second tier. Those things will be taken away.What can never be taken away, never messed up again, is time in the presence of God. When we pursue Him with our best, our first, our priorities in this world, it is only an investment for the real deal of being in His presence continually for eternity.You see, Martha was not all wrong. It is good to serve people with food and clean. But Mary had the order of things figured out. She chose to first fill up her soul on Jesus, so she could then serve Him and the others with them.Time spent with the Lord can never be taken away from us. So as much as my desires to begin meal planning, maintain a cleaning schedule, and develop a writing routine glorify God, none of these things carry the weight of a lifestyle of sitting in God's presence, unhurried and unhindered.This year, I will choose the better thing.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello! I'm Faith. I'm a verbal processor who wants to love the Lord and love people with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I write to think and think to write. I don't drink coffee. I am a dogless dog lover. I enjoy hosting large parties in my home, and I enjoy being alone. Join me in looking to Him and pursuing A Radiant Face.

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1 comments:

Faith, a great reminder to prioritize with His priorities, not what we think are His priorities. He desires our praise, adoration and worship and I need to make more time for that. Thanks for posting. - Amyhttp://stylingrannymama.com/